This is a continuation application of PCT/CA93/00100 filed Mar. 19, 1993.
1/ Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to digital storage apparatus, and more particularly to an automatic disk changer apparatus for selecting and playing another of a plurality of digital discs without the need for moving the disks out of their slots.
2/ Description of the Relevant Art
Although this apparatus can be used for any type of disk memory storage medium, the preferred configuration is for the optical data storage disks which comprise the CD-ROM, the WORM (write once read many times) and the rewritable disks and, with the increasing number of home computers, because of the simplicity of its mechanism and the compactness of its size, such an apparatus could be mass produced for a price suitable for the residential market where it could be used simultaneously for changing audio CDs. Photo CDs and another types of data CDs. Because of their huge storage capacities, anywhere from 128 MB all the way up to 1 gigabyte or more, optical disks are gaining in popularity in the business world for archiving purposes. And, with the magneto-optical disks phase change disks, which can be written and read many times, their usage is increasing as an alternative to slower magnetic tape storage units and to lower capacity magnetic hard disks and floppies.
There exists in the marketplace several types of digital disk players that can hold more than one disk. Some models have a rotating platter which can hold up to 5 disks; others have interchangeable cartridges which can hold 6 disks at a time and of course, for larger needs, several variations on the old venerable jukebox configuration.
All of these systems have one thing in common: The disk--often held in a tray, cartridge or magazine (which is either linear or as in my embodiment, toroidal)--has to move to meet with the reading unit. This makes the process slow, increases the number of moving parts, thus the cost and size of the apparatus, and may also reduce reliability.
Other systems can hold several disks, generally in a linear magazine set either horizontally or vertically in which case the disks remain in place and a reading mechanism is brought about to read or write information to said disks. These systems, however, do not appear to be made to facilitate the installation or removal of individual disks, one has to practically dismantle the machine in order to extract or install a disk. Furthermore, these units have a large central motor that spins all of the disks simultaneously and have a separate motor mechanism to move a read/write apparatus in line with a selected disk and yet another motor mechanism to move the said apparatus over the said disk to read or write it.